Jones in danger of contempt charge

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The broadcaster Alan Jones faces being dragged into the Orange
Grove inquiry to answer a charge of contempt over comments he made
on air this week about evidence given by the chief of staff of the
Premier, Bob Carr.

As Jones was finishing his radio 2GB talkback program yesterday
at 10am, Commissioner Ian Harrison, SC, opened the day's
proceedings to announce he was reviewing on-air comments by Jones
accusing Graeme Wedderburn of talking rubbish.

"The comments which appear to have been made by Mr Jones ...
have the capacity to raise in the mind of a reasonable member of
the public the question of whether or not a significant witness
before this inquiry is telling the truth or can be believed," Mr
Harrison said.

"It seems to me to be clear enough from the text of what Mr
Jones has said ... that he has formed a view that Mr Wedderburn is
lying and that this commission would be, or might be, either the
subject of ridicule or adverse comment if it formed a different
view."

Mr Jones was not available yesterday. "He won't be making any
comments," a personal assistant said.

While Mr Wedderburn has completed his evidence before the Orange
Grove inquiry, several prominent witnesses, including the
director-general of the NSW Department of Planning, Infrastructure
and Natural Resources, Jennifer Westacott, and the assistant
Planning Minister, Diane Beamer, have yet to appear.

Mr Harrison said he expected taking of evidence in the Orange
Grove matter to be completed by the middle of next week, after
which he intended to deal with the Jones matter.

"I intend to revisit the question of whether or not, in the
light of the comments made by Mr Jones in the two programs to which
I have referred, I should give consideration to certifying a
contempt in writing to the Supreme Court," Mr Harrison said.

"It goes without saying that Mr Jones should have an opportunity
in that event to be present and to be represented."

Yesterday Mr Harrison read a transcript of Jones's comments onto
the commission record, which included comments by the broadcaster
that Mr Wedderburn was "a complete disaster".

"This bloke's kidding," the transcript of Jones's comments said.
"He must think we're stupid if we believe all this ... It'll be
interesting to see what ICAC makes of Wedderburn's evidence, but I
tell you what: if you believe that you'll believe anything."